Friday, June 01, 2012

Liberty is dying, if not dead, when the government tells you what's good for you and what isn't.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Friday defended his controversial proposal to limit the soda size in restaurants, quipping that extra large drinks aren't what "the Founding Fathers fought for."

"We're not banning you from getting the stuff. It's just if you want 32 ounces, the restaurant has to serve it in two glasses. That is not exactly taking away your freedoms. It is not something the Founding Fathers fought for," Bloomberg said on NBC's "Today Show."

Bloomberg drew a parallel between smoking bans and his new initiative, which would cap the size of soft drinks at movie theaters and food service establishments at 16 ounces, by suggesting that he is leading a movement.

"Where did I hear this before? Wasn't it [the] smoking [ban] wasn't going to work? Today it's one of the best things we've ever done. Deaths from smoking dramatically coming down across the country, virtually every major city has adopted smoking ordinances," he said.

The mayor and businessman tried to defend his proposal by citing studies that indicate smaller plates or cups will lead to less eating or drinking.

Didn't the American founding fathers found America so that their people would have freedom to decide what to do and have in their own lives, without governmental busy-bodies like Hizzoner (i.e. Mayor Bloomberg) telling you what to do? Or, in this case, drink?